It's Just That No One Makes Me Feel This Way
by blue252
Summary: "Nothing could have prepared him for what he found when he walked into the loft..." A boring meeting, a dance party, and some Caskett. A fun, fluffy fic to ease the pain of the current outbreak of angst this summer.


**AN: A fix for everyone who needs a pick-me-up after all the angst :) Especially, for my dear ER and Angie, who frequently join me in crying when Liv or Joy writes anything so beautifully sad. Hope you all enjoy. xo, Blue**

**Disclaimer: If Castle were mine, I don't even know what I'd do.**

* * *

Castle squirmed in his chair, bouncing his leg impatiently, as he watched Gina and two male execs of Black Pawn duke it out over the _Frozen Heat_ release date.

It had been an excruciatingly long day full of meetings.

He'd already grown bored with his apps and Kate had stopped replying to his texts 30 minutes ago. He checked the time: 6:07 p.m. She'd been spending the day with her dad so maybe she was driving somewhere, he contemplated.

"I _thought_ we had all agreed upon a late September release," Gina snarled.

"We _had_ agreed on September, until Rick decided to take a month off from writing," the exec whose name he could never remember, stated haughtily, casting a disdainful look towards Castle.

"It will be done on time," Gina snapped, casting her own look at Castle.

"Right, Rick?" she added, her tone somehow managing to insinuate his impending doom if he answered with anything other than complete compliance.

"No need to worry gentlemen, everything is still on schedule," said Castle, in his most charming voice.

It wasn't exactly a lie. Sure, he'd taken some time off. Ok, a couple weeks. But, he was back on track, inspiration flowing more now than it had in ages. Since the early stages of _Heat Rises_, he mused.

And it wasn't like he'd meant to get behind. It was more that whenever he'd sit down to write he kept thinking of all the things he'd rather be doing. More accurately…of the sexy, extraordinary woman he'd rather be doing.

It was her fault really. He'd find himself sitting in bed with his laptop, outlining chapters only to have her stroll by in one of his button ups. 30 seconds later, the laptop would be on the floor, his fingers deftly working at buttons instead of keys.

Or that time he was typing furiously through an interrogation scene. Nikki was just about to break down a suspect, when Kate walked into his study wearing...

"Rick!" Gina practically yelled, snapping him out of his thoughts.

Ok so he _really_ needed to quit thinking about that right now or else he'd have bigger problems than Gina's death glare and deadlines.

"Sorry, what was that?" he asked as innocently as possible.

"George and Tom were just saying that as long as you're sure it's all still on schedule, we will continue with the September release date," Gina repeated, rolling her eyes at him.

Ahh, yes, of course that guy's name was Tom, he thought. His memories flashed to Demming, only growing more annoyed at that thought.

"Great," Castle replied, feigning interest.

Yeah, he needed to get out of this meeting, like now.

* * *

Two hours later, he finally was walking into the door of his building. He sighed to himself as he fished for his phone in his pocket, hoping to find a response from Kate. Still nothing, though.

"Long day, Mr. Castle?" asked Eduardo.

"Ugh, you have no idea, Eduardo," Castle replied. "Remind me never to commit myself to a business meeting without an escape plan again."

Eduardo chuckled. "Have a good night, sir," he said as Castle got onto the elevator.

Castle rubbed his hands over his face, trying to ease the stress of the day away. It didn't help that he was starving. The small sandwich he'd managed to squeeze in between meetings felt like a lifetime ago. All he wanted was dinner and a drink. And Kate.

Where was Kate, anyway? It'd now been almost 3 hours and still no reply to his text asking if she wanted to come over after his meetings.

His mood was rapidly declining. He tried to push away the nagging worry that Kate's absence always provoked in him. She was fine. She was independent. She could take care of herself.

But, now that she was allowing him to take care of her too (sometimes)…well, it only deepened his need to make sure this was all not just a dream. That he not take for granted a single moment she stood breathing next to him.

He paused for a moment, just outside his doorway, confused at the sound of music blaring from inside.

He groaned loudly. Just what he needed, he thought to himself. His mother rehearsing for some awful show again.

But…wait a second, was that…Justin Timberlake?

He leaned closer to the door, trying to make out the words through the pounding of bass.

_It's just that no one makes me feel this waaaay._

"Oh my gosh, it IS Justin Timberlake!" he muttered to himself.

He swung open the door to the loft, mentally preparing for battle with Martha.

Except he was NOT ready for the sight that met his eyes.

"Mother, what did I tell you about inviting your cast over for impromptu dance parties…" Castle yelled over the music, voice trailing off as he took the scene before him in.

_Lemme see what you're twerkin' with, look at those hips! _they sang. Or…rapped? Sang? Rapped? He couldn't manage to formulate the correct words. His daughter and Kate were…rapping together?

_Get your sexy on, get your sexy on, get your sexy onnnnnn! _

He blinked his eyes, as if expecting them to disappear in front of him. He had to be imagining this right? He knew Beckett could sing. He used to catch her humming to herself on their trips in the cruiser sometimes.

And then, there was that time at Ryan's wedding. Slamming down Amaretto shots, he'd convinced her to rap 99 Problems with him. "Come oooooon, Beckett," he pleaded, "99 Problem's is one of Jay-Z's best songs!"

That had earned him an eye roll. "Castle, it's a total cop-bashing song!" But, after a lengthy debate on probable cause and 4th amendment rights she'd finally obliged him with a verse, eyes sparkling. Castle assumed she was enjoying herself more than she was willing to admit.

Still, nothing could have prepared him for this.

Beckett using a long wooden spoon as a pretend microphone as she rapped Timbaland, twirling around his kitchen.

Alexis with a baseball hat on sideways, red hair swinging in a loose ponytail as she sang along. Both of them were grinning wildly, apparently having the time of their lives.

Neither of them seemed to have noticed him come in with the music up so loud. He stood there, glued to his spot just inside the doorway.

He struggled to tear his gaze away from Beckett. His eyes like magnets drawn to her hips swinging as she sang, "_I'm bringing sexy back._" He swallowed back a wave of arousal.

But, that's when he really noticed his daughter. Alexis looked…happy. Really, really happy. His heart swelled. His daughter was happy and dancing around in their kitchen with Kate, who looked equally happy.

At least they were until Martha came breezing through the doorway, arms full of shopping bags knocking Castle off balance, causing him to go sprawling face first into the floor.

"Oh my goodness! Richard, what are you doing standing in the middle of the doorway like that?" Martha exclaimed.

"A little help, Mother?" Castle moaned, pushing himself up off the floor. Kate and Alexis stood frozen, looking a mixture of amused and somewhat embarrassed themselves.

"What on earth is going on in here?" Martha asked, looking questioningly at Castle. At the same time Kate exclaimed, "How long exactly had you been here, Rick?"

"Hey, why is everyone looking at _me_?" Castle grumbled, rubbing his elbow, which had taken the brunt of his fall.

"I'm not the one having a Justin Timberlake dance party…" he continued, raising his eyebrows at Kate and Alexis, blue eyes glimmering with amusement.

"Very funny Dad," Alexis stated grinning, "We're using Songza! It just happens to be the coolest new music app," she continued, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, Castle, how can you not know about this app? You're supposed to be the 'cool dad'," Kate said teasingly. "Where's the man who ditches paperwork for Angry Birds?"

"Looks like they gotcha there, Kiddo," Martha said laughing. "I'm off to put away my bags! You kids feel free to dance away!" she finished, sweeping up the stairs.

"You all wound me!" Castle exclaimed, mocking hurt. "But, my dear daughter, please explain to me what exactly Songza is and how it relates to you girls dancing around the kitchen."

"It's awesome, Dad! You just go to the app or the website and it gives you choices for music that matches whatever you want to do! Like no lyrics for background music when you read or songs for relaxing after a long day or even music for laying out by the pool!" she said eyes lighting up.

"Soooo, you and Kate told Songza you wanted to rap in the kitchen?" Castle said jokingly.

Alexis sighed loudly.

"No, Castle," Kate interjected, "We told Songza we were cooking, then we chose the option of 'dancing in the kitchen'," she said, smiling at him with a tender look in her eye.

Wait, was that…Kate chose to dance with his Alexis. Kate wanted to cook dinner in his kitchen, with his daughter. And she was happy too. His breathe caught in his throat for a moment, speechless.

"So…are you going to help us finish dinner?" Kate asked, nudging him, seeming to know what he was feeling at the moment.

"Hmm, well that depends," he said mischievously, eyes glinting at Kate.

"I probably don't want to ask but please do enlighten me, Rick," she replied, rolling her eyes at him.

"On whether you'll be bringing sexy back?" he continued with a wink.

"Oh, Dad!" Alexis groaned.

"In your dreams, Castle," Kate said, laughing.

But before he could follow Alexis into the kitchen Kate leaned in dangerously close, her breath hot on his ear, and whispered, "Or maybe in between those dreams later tonight as long as you never tell anyone about my rapping, Kitten…" she finished, casting him a dangerously sexy look.

He gulped, mind already racing. He was wiling to bet there was a playlist on that app for bedtime _activities_ too. Oh yeah, he loved Songza already.

* * *

The end.

Happy enough? :) Thanks for reading!


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